


Christmas Ever After

by flickawhip



Category: Historical RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-07
Updated: 2016-10-07
Packaged: 2018-08-20 03:34:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8234677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flickawhip/pseuds/flickawhip
Summary: Jewellery designer Kate Williams loves living in London, but when a surprise proposal goes wrong, she finds herself fleeing home to remote Puffin Island.Burned by a terrible divorce, TV historian Tracy Borman is dazzled by Kate's beauty and so cynical that she assumes that's a bad thing! Luckily she's on the verge of getting engaged to someone else, so she won't be a constant source of temptation... but this Christmas, can Tracy and Kate realise that they are what each other was looking for all along?





	1. Jewels And Tears Shine The Same

Escaping London had been the only thing on her mind when she left the room, she needed to get away, the proposal had so stunned her that she had fled. Her ex was chasing her now and all she could do to get away was run faster. 

She had got home in minutes, packing what she would need, anything she could think of. Her eyes, already a bright blue-green color shone all the more with tears. She had done all she could to straighten herself out, finding both her passport and gathering what she had packed. She would leave, and she would leave quickly. 

She had paused on her way out to gather her box of precious jewels and the jewelry sketches she had planned to work on. She would need something to do, wherever she ended up. A final glance at herself in the mirror, simple black dress and gold chain matched by soft black flats. Her hair, already an unruly mass of copper curls looked all the worse for the amount of times she had combed a hand through them. 

She had been on her way to the airport before the tears finally came. How could he have thought this would work out? 

On arriving at the airport she had chosen the most unique name on the flight boards. Puffin Island. A place to hide away... Hiding felt like a good idea.


	2. A Little Healing

Already on the island, having fled her own not-so-happy life was the almost famous TV historian Tracy Borman. The chance to get away from the scrutiny that was sure to happen when her, newly signed and filed, divorce hit the papers, had seemed a good option. 

She had come to find somewhere to relax, to hide and to heal. She was not keen on the idea of being here alone but she would have to do her best to cope... alone. She would be alone the next time she went home... if she ever did. 

Christmas was going to be difficult for her. Not only was it not easy to be alone but she would have to face the misery every Christmas. She had suffered enough already but now she would have a yearly reminder. She would have to find a way to cope, perhaps just leave town every Christmas as she had this year... She would sort it out for herself, later. 

The hotel had been busy with a few new arrivals, the only one that held any real pain for her was the happy couple, clearly on honeymoon. Everyone else seemed to be feeling the same way she did, wanting to hide. 

She had retreated quickly, not noticing the other woman until it was far too late. She had backed directly into her. It was not the best way to start... if it was a start.


	3. A Meeting Of Eyes

“Tracy?”

The woman’s voice sounded both soft and sweet and Tracy’s heart skipped several beats, a sign that, already, she would have to fight her instincts. She had stayed silent, for now, merely nodding. Her eyes had met Kate’s easily, her breath catching, a rushed thought to silence it just about stifling it. 

“I’m so sorry... are you alright?”

Kate’s sea-colored eyes were still shining with repressed pain and yet all Tracy could do was stare, and hope that nobody else would know. She had risen, carefully, accepting the woman’s hand, her own ice-blue eyes still locked on Kate even as she pushed flaxen gold-blonde hair out of her eyes. The flex of Kate’s wrist in her grip had brought her back to herself. She must not think about this, about Kate, she must leave. 

“It’s quite alright...”

She spoke softly, unable to make herself cruel, even now. 

“Miss?”

“Kate... Kate Williams.”

“The Jewelry Queen?”

Kate had blushed then, enough so that Tracy found herself smiling a little. Perhaps she could at least be friendly, even if this was surely going to go nowhere. 

“Yes...”

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you...”

Tracy had, without thinking, kissed Kate’s hand before heading back to her rooms. Little did either of them know that, even now, things were moving to destroy their fleeting friendship.


	4. The Rumor Mill

Within days, in which neither woman really saw the other, although both held hopes, even if the temptation could well cause problems, the rumor mill had begun. Neither woman was truly free of eyes unless they made trips off the estate of the hotel, and neither had much will to leave. 

Tracy had eventually heard that, as she had thought, Kate was engaged, soon to be married... or so the rumor mill thought. In Kate’s absence her ex had done all he could to convince people they were to be married. 

Kate only heard the news later, finding herself so hurt by the news, given to her by a woman at the bar, that she had fled back to her rooms, quite ignoring that, yet again, she had nearly brought harm to Tracy. 

“Kate?”

Tracy had watched her go with surprise, then, quite unwillingly, asked what the woman had said exactly to hurt her so. 

“It seems Ms Williams’ ex lied to the papers...”

“So she... isn’t... engaged?”

“No... and judging from that exit, she never was likely to agree...”

“... Excuse me...”

Tracy had made her excuses, paid her bill, then followed Kate, thankful that she had thought to ask for the woman’s room number the day before, when she had been blessed enough to share the dinner table with her. 

Now, arriving there, she knocked softly. 

“Kate?”

No reply. She tried again. 

“Kate... It’s me... Tracy, can I... come in?”

The answer was the door opening slightly, Tracy’s breath catching at the pain in Kate’s eyes. She had moved on instinct then, pushing inward quickly, locking the door before moving to pull Kate into a tight hug, letting the woman cry into her shoulder. 

They had settled, eventually, on the bed, Tracy content to let Kate settle against her, unable to stop herself stroking the other woman’s hair as she talked, letting everything out. As the tale went on Tracy grew steadily more protective. By the time that Kate had finished, Tracy’s hand had stilled on her hair, although she had also curled Kate closer to her, not quite realizing what she had done until Kate looked up at her a little. 

“So... now you know... I suppose now you’ll... want to leave?”

“Leave?”

“Spoilt goods...”

“Is that it? Is that why you... ran from him?”

“Yes... No... I...”

“Kate... he didn’t deserve you. Hell, in the short time I’ve known you... in the short time I’ve known you... you’ve been nothing but kind, sweet... and generous with both time and money. He was the wrong person for you...”

“So... now what?”

“Now... now you spend Christmas on a tiny island where nobody will bother you...”

“They all... know.”

“Yeah? Well the good news is... nobody wants to annoy me... so... they won’t bother you, if you stay close to me... or... vice-versa.”

“You’d do that? Even after...”

“Chris lied. It happens...”

Tracy paused then added.

“Besides, I think we could both use a little friendship...”


	5. A Christmas Wish

As time passed, the hotel was now no longer a problem as neither woman was bothered, people had seen how quickly the two bonded and Tracy had always seemed protective. By the time Christmas Day itself came around the hotel was hosting a little dinner dance. 

Kate had dressed carefully, the spare time she had used to find the perfect jewels. She had made several designs whilst she was here, although none had been the ones she had planned. Instead of the usual rubies, pearls and sapphires, she had begun to work with softer jewels. 

She had wrapped a few small gifts for Tracy, they had discussed sharing a few small gifts and she knew the gifts would suit Tracy, she had, after all, designed them specially.   
By the time she joined the dinner-dance there was only one seat left. With Tracy. She had, finally, smoothed the slightly skin-tight dress over herself, pleased that she had chosen jewels to match her own eyes and a simple green dress. Her shoes, however, were taller than usual, and a little tricky to walk in. 

She had stumbled further when she laid eyes on Tracy. Tracy, it seemed, had avoided a dress, choosing instead to wear a silk scarf in a pale blue, matching it to her shirt, the suit jacket and suit trousers a darker blue. Her shoes were a simple pair of black dance shoes, a gift she had had from her ex but still refused to let go of. 

The lights had flattered both of them, allowing Kate to smile as she settled at Tracy’s side, not caring that they were being watched as she set down her small gift bag on the table, leaning to kiss Tracy’s cheek. They had been, slowly, falling into a relationship, but neither way too keen about being found out. 

They had eaten, exchanging gifts, Kate smiling to see Tracy’s eyes light up at the small gifts of a light blue necklace, earrings and a neat set of cuff-links. Tracy laughing slightly at the look on Kate’s face when she unwrapped a full set of the books she had written and had published. As time passed and people left, the music got softer, and slower.

After the room was nearly empty, Tracy had risen, requesting a very specific song before moving to offer her hand to Kate, leading her slowly to the floor, the two dancing happily, Kate finally allowing herself to kiss Tracy. 

They had, finally, moved to gather their gifts, then headed back to their rooms. Tracy had left her gifts in her room that night, choosing to sneak to Kate’s rooms. They would start a new life here, together and she would take her time.


End file.
